Faith Messenger. Inside this issue: FEBRUARY

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1 Inside this issue: Faith Messenger What s Ahead In , 3 Prayer Requests and Announcements 2, 3 FEBRUARY Faith United Methodist Church Engage, Equip, and Empower! Volume Issue 2 Church Finances 4 What s Ahead In 2017 John Wesley s Marks of a Methodist Special Points of Interest: M & M Night, page 6 February Monthly Meetings, Back Page February Birthdays and Anniversaries included with Calendar Administrative Assistant Office Hours 5 Word Search 7 Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The desire to know what lies ahead is normal and natural but if we allow this desire to dominate our lives or control us we become anxious and often fearful of that which we do not know or cannot control. "Often we want to be able to see into the future. We say, "How will next year be for me? Where will I be five or ten years from now?" There are no answers to these questions. Mostly we have just enough light to see the next step: what we have to do in the coming hour or the following day. The art of living is to enjoy what we can see and not complain about what remains in the dark. When we are able to take the next step with the trust that we will have enough light for the step that follows, we can walk through life with joy and be surprised at how far we go. Let's rejoice in the little light we carry and not ask for the great beam that would take all shadows away." -Henri Nouwen Jesus said it this way in Matthew 6:34, Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Anxiety about the future steals our joy from the present. We can only live our lives one moment at a time and one day at a time. We cannot borrow joy from the future to replace the difficulty of the day but we can be confident that He who holds the future loves us and has nothing but our good in mind as His hand directs our future. In midst of difficult times when Israel and Judah were under the heel of Assyria and their future looked grim. Jeremiah speaking on God s behalf tells God s people this in Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Continued on page 3)

2 Pag e 2 Volume , Iss ue 2 Fait h Messeng er Prayer Requests Remember our church members & friends who are less mobile and are unable to join us as often as they would like, including: Colony Court Memory & Care Suites: Ann Swenson, Dick Westrum Colony Court: Ardella Draheim, Nina Youngberg, Leona Quast, Muriel Jenkins Lakeshore Inn: Florence Gutknecht Latham Place: Liz Corchran Oaklawn Health Care Center: Jim Keller Tower Light, St. Louis Park: Darlene Lynch Those who also need our prayers: Willie Mahler [Home Hospice] Prayer Requests from Sunday Worship Bruce & Deb Hering, Peter & Verna Fog, Marilyn & Dan Possin, Maragaret Dahnert, Lynne Swenson. UMW Executive Board Meeting The UMW Executive Board meeting will be held on February 13, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. ;UMW Unit Meeting The UMW Unit meeting will be held on February 20, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. Please join us. Visitors are always welcome. Faith Crafters and Stitchers Our February meeting will be Thursday, February 9 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. You are welcome to bring craft ideas for Bazaar 2017 or your own project to work on. Plan to join us for a little work, good conversation and, of course, snacks and coffee. Please call Sandy Voshell at if you have any questions.

3 Pag e 3 Volume , Iss ue 2 Fait h Messeng er Festival of Angels Members of the congregation brought angels to church for the Festival of Angels that was held December 11 th. The multitude of angels displayed was a good reminder of the angel s roll during the advent season. Missing Angel One of the angels that was brought in for the Festival of Angels is missing. If anyone has seen a beautiful angel with gold ribbon and about one foot high please let the office know. The angel belongs to a member of the congregation and has her name and address on the underside of the angel. It was a special gift that was received from a friend. So please take a look if you had a container with angels to make sure it was not mistakenly put in the wrong container. What s Ahead in 2017 (Continued from page 1) Trust allows us to enjoy the light we are given without demanding we see the whole road ahead. This ability to trust God as we walk in the Spirit allows each of us to speak with confidence about the future is now before us. As we look ahead let us each purpose to enjoy each day as it presents itself to us not because they will all be great days but because we serve a great God who has promised us in Romans 8:28, And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose. Pastor Victor

4 Pag e 4 Volume , Iss ue 2 Fait h Messeng er 2016 A Good Year for Faith Church Finances I am writing this before I give the report to your Church Council later this month. From the standpoint of Faith Church finances, 2016 was a great year. We were able to pay all of our bills on time! Collections were $10,000 over our estimates from one year ago Thank you! Expenses were $4,000 under budget. (Thanks to all who worked hard on this.) The 2016 Special Ask resulted in $17,870 gifts toward the 2016 operating budget. The resulting net income over expenses for the year was $9,500. We paid back the $5,000 owed to the Trustees and ended with $7,000 more in the checking account to start this year. 34 pledges have been received. We had hoped for more and will still take them. For those members who did not pledge an amount, we made an estimate based on past giving. Based on the 2017 budget to be presented to the Council, we will need a 2017 Special Ask in the amount of $14,000. This is an improvement over this time last year of $10,000. While we haven t been able to meet all of our annual apportionments each year for the past several years, we are making progress. In 2015 we paid $11,000, in 2016 we paid $13,000 and in 2017 we expect to pay $15,000. This is based on the special pledging and gifts for the apportionments. Our annual apportionment is approximately $20,000. Many churches offer their members a convenient debit plan whereby a certain amount is deducted from your checking account each month and sent to the church s account. If you are interested in this, please contact me or the church office. Neil Fruechte, Finance Chair

5 Pag e 5 Volume , Iss ue 2 Fait h Messeng er John Wesley s Marks of a Methodist 1. A Methodist has the love of God shed abroad in his soul by the Holy Spirit given unto him. He loves the Lord his God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. 2. A Methodist is happy in God, as having in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life,...overflowing his soul with peace and joy. 3. A Methodist s heart is ever lifted up to God at all times and in all places. He prays without ceasing, not in church only, nor in set forms, but in the moment-by -moment encounters of every day. 4. In a Methodist s heart the commandment is written that he who loves God loves his neighbor also. Accordingly he loves his neighbor as himself, doing good to all men, neighbors and strangers, friends and enemies alike, feeding, clothing, visiting, as Jesus enjoined. 5. A Methodist is concerned for the souls of men. He constantly strives to open to those about him and in the regions beyond the wonders of the love of God, and to lead them, at whatever cost to himself of time and trouble, up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. 6. The love of God has purified a Methodist s heart from revenge, envy, malice, wrath from every unkind temper, from pride and haughtiness of spirit. Prayer: Help us, our Father, to consider these things in all seriousness, and to the depths of our natures, and to strive eternally for thy guidance. Amen.

6 Pag e 6 Volume , Iss ue 2 Fait h Messeng er M & M Night is February 19 Faith United Methodist Church 801 Fourth Ave NE Waseca, MN 5:00 p.m. 5:45 p.m. Free Admission! Featuring the film McFarland, USA Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high school in McFarland, California, the film stars Kevin Costner as Jim White, the school s coach. Come and join us Bring a friend!

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8 Faith United Methodist Church Engage, Equip, and Empower 801 Fourth Ave. NE Waseca, MN Phone: Fax: Non-profit Org Postage Paid Permit 30 Waseca, MN Change Service Requested Come Worship with Us We have room. Monthly Meet-Ups: Elizabeth Circle UMW Elizabeth Circle will meet Wednesday, February 15 at 2:00 p.m. in the Lakeview Room. Sandy Voshell will host the meeting with Shirley Burdick leading devotions. Guests and visitors are welcome. Ruth Circle UMW Ruth Circle will be meeting on Tuesday, February 14th from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the home of Linda Griffin. All ladies are welcome!